First off, I appreciate your time and any opinions that might be offered. I have an opinion question about hiring a contractor.
My wife and I are doing an addition off our kitchen, remodeling the current one, taking down a load bearing wall, and adding a bathroom. We have a contractor that has been over to the house multiple times, met with engineers, etc. – but we do not have an official contract with him yet. We are finally ready to move forward and sign the contract with this contractor.
The issue is that I have not seen any of his prior jobs and I am hesitant to ask now for two reasons (but will certainly do so if people think it is necessary):
1. It feels insanely awkward to ask now because he has been work with us (meeting engineers at the house, looking where the pipes would go, etc.) for a few months and I have not asked…now it would feel odd. (He also has not charged us for any of the meetings and seems quite skilled.)
2. How much does it matter to ask to see prior jobs? I do not place a high value on it because he is just going to show me his best work anyway – but I am not a little nervous that this is a foolish decision when spending north of $200K.
For what it is worth, he has come across as honest in all of our interactions and has been incredibly willing to create options for us to save money (in our market this is rare because there are many, many people near us for whom money is no object). He has also been in business since the 1980s and all online and Facebook reviews are very good.
Thoughts? Should I still ask to see prior work? I am also nervous because I have no bargaining power in this market. He is the only contractor with a price we can afford (who knows what he is doing – we had a few come who did not).
Are there any online databases that will show me old jobs/permits?
Thanks for the help. This project is almost our entire savings – so important to get it right.
Replies
How did you find him?
Referral, good.
Laundromat bulletin board, bad.
And welcome to what used to called,
Breaktime.
I found him online, but he has good recommendations (online). Truthfully, I did not have too many friends who had hired a contractor for this scope of work (and the ones who had used people who charge way more money).
As a possible positive point, it turns out he lives around the corner...so (I assume) this means he would not want to mess up the job).
Ask yourself these questions: how much of that $200K budget are you willing to potentially lose without any recourse? Would you be content with a partially completed project?
1 - as a paying customer, you should never feel "awkward" asking for evidence of past work and/or references to attest to the quality of work. Look beyond the quality of the work and verify all the work performed was in compliance with all local, state, and national codes and was properly permitted AND inspected. These types of oversights usually come back to bite you when you sell the property or have to file an insurance claim (hopefully never). Qualified, reputable contractors won't hesitate to provide this information. If they do, that's a red flag.
2- a written contract is the only thing binding both parties, laying out details and terms of the projects such as plans, jobsite requirements, communication protocols, escrow & payment terms, project management and timelines, material ordering, management of subcontractors, handling change orders, etc. It also provides you with all license/registration, insurance (liability, workers comp, etc), and contact information for ALL contractors/subcontractors on the project. And most importantly: a contract spells out what happens and who is responsible if things go off-track and how to rectify the problems to get back on track. Also, if you are taking out a loan/HELOC, the bank may require a contract before providing the funds.
View the contract as a safeguard for your investment to MINIMIZE RISK for ALL parties involved. Without a contract, it can easily become a "he said/she said" situation and that's when things get ugly with finger-pointing, extended delays, and lost time and money. If the contractor says, "I have been doing this for XX years and never needed a contract" or "my word is my bond" - that's a BIG red flag. Just ask any attorney.
Every State and local municipality is different, so feel free to stop by your local Building Department and inquire with the building official about the contractor, as well as projects of this scope. They are a free and valuable resource for homeowners in situations like this.
Remember this: Quality-Price-Speed - you can only get 2 of the 3 for any project.
Good luck.
--
Matt Cicciari
President
CCRE Construction
[email protected]
781-929-6549
http://www.ccre-construction.com
MA Unrestricted CSL #CS-112311
MA Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) #192067
Hope all goes well.
There are many good stories in this trade and perhaps many more bad ones. After 50 yrs in the trade I slept well most any night. Those with little skill and a bad reputation somehow manage to sleep pretty good.
High price doesn’t always pan out to be a better job. A few less cheap ones might be a great deal. This whole operation is a crapshoot at best. We hope to hear back from you and perhaps updates of your experience.
I always enjoy a good BS session.
From my perspective as an engineer I often see 2 conflicting aspects of evaluating a contractor.
1. Skill set and reputation.
2. Attitude and personality.
I am quite familiar with one particular contractor's work in my area. Some of his past clients can't sing his praises loud enough. Other clients would never work with him again. Why the difference?
I think it depends on the interpersonal relationship that develops between client & contractor.
Some contractors have an attitude that they know EXACTLY what to do and will attempt to convince you of that no matter what, and their position is that they are right.
Others will work to explain the whys and how-tos so that you understand completely.
I go with BOTH of the above criteria 1 & 2.
I would simply ask for a few recent referrals and the means to contact them. Then reach out to those previous clients and ask about the good, bad and ugly. In the end, were they pleased with the final product? How badly over budget did the project go? Were there any surprises that hurt their budget? Were those surprises easily anticipated? Supply chains can be problematic - will your contractor know how to navigate this and still provide you with quality materials?
No matter what, it's still a scary scenario.
It's completely reasonable to ask for examples of previous work, even at this stage. Given the size of your project and investment, any reputable contractor would understand your need for assurance. It's not just about seeing their best work but getting a feel for their consistency and attention to detail. Checking online reviews is a good start, but seeing actual projects can provide peace of mind. Also, many municipalities have permit databases you can search for past jobs. It's better to address any hesitations now rather than having regrets later. Good luck with your project! also Check this out: https://www.goldentreeroofing.com/
It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this. Since you're feeling unsure about asking to see the contractor's prior work, it might help to know it's pretty common to check out their past jobs. Even though he's been great so far, seeing his work could give you peace of mind. And it's totally okay to ask, even if it feels a bit late. As for online databases, you might find some info on permits, but for actual work samples, you'll likely need to ask him directly. It's your big investment, so it's okay to make sure you're comfortable before signing anything.